This game is a perfect example of how vulnerable every team is to the Cavs come playoff time. When Lebron goes full Lebron and you're not knocking down your shots at an ungodly clip it's hard to compete. Also Kyrie Irving has figured it out and is devastating with the rock in hand.
I like the Hawks a lot. It's a tough call. It's tough to bet against LeBron, but I'm skeptical about Irving and especially Love. We'll see if they can handle the pressure come playoff time.
IF and this is a big IF at this point regarding the Cavs, their undoing in the East will be their lack of ball movement. They are insanely talented ... but they are a 1 on 1 team for the most part. Their assist numbers have been weak all season. In a playoff series where you're able to set your defense, get used to where things are coming from time after time, etc., the history of basketball would suggest that teams that rely on taking turns being the man in those spots tend to hit a wall at some point (one of the more famous examples being the '77 Dr J led 76ers who lost to Walton's Blazers).
If you look at the box score tonight, the Warriors got a combined 10 of 30 shooting from their 2 best players - which when that happens is difficult for any team to win. The Cavs shot 47% and got to the line 16 more times (making 19 more FTs - probably the difference in the game right there). But despite the Warriors really struggling tonight, they had 32 assists on 39 made shots from the field - that's an insane number. So when you look at how well the Cavs played tonight by all accounts, a deeper look would show that their margin wasn't that wide.
For me, that's the Cavs risk. That's the benefit that teams like the Hawks, Warriors, Spurs, etc. have when they play Cleveland in a series is that over 7 games, they'll be able to create enough easy shots that that should carry them in the end.
Ya'll are crazy if you think the Atlanta fucking Hawks are going to beat LebrHGHon James in the playoffs. Get the fuck out of here with your team basketball bullshit.
Cavs are making the Finals. Period. Exclamation point. End of discussion.
Every year during the long NBA season we search for new stories to entertain us. The Hawks are this year's surprise and a fun story to follow. The Warriors and Clippers run up and down the court and play an entertaining brand of basketball that is worth the price of League Pass or the weekly ESPN games.
The West is filled with would be title contenders. Chicago (never mind). Atlanta and Toronto lead the way in the East.
I have been a Steph Curry fans since his college days. The pure shooter is one of most exciting players at any level. As this CHART shows. Westbrook and Durrant are worth the price of admission. Russell Westbrook took 38 shots! Here are all 38!
But last night reminded us that the NBA more than any other pro league is all about the Big Dog. And the Big Dog is still Lebron James. He is all of Curry, Westbrook, and Durant in the body of a linebacker or tight end. He makes any team or group better.
As Wesley Morris wrote here, Lebron still suffers from the natural athlete tag that follows Black athletes around. His mind has always been under rated by the haters and twitter bashers. The coaching job that James has done this year is one of the best seen the last 20 years.
He spent the first 40 games letting Irving and Love and the rest try to be the stars and hog the ball and not play defense. He even took two weeks off to remind them what life without him was like at Minnesota and last year in Cleveland.
Upon his return we have seen the Cleveland we thought we would see as they have won 18 of 20 and a refreshed Lebron is showing the other would be alpha dogs who is still the boss. Irving and Love look like winners.
Yes it is a good point made by Grantland contributor RoadDawg that we haven't seen them in the playoffs but we have seen Lebron. Cleveland wins the East rather easily. They now look like a legit threat to win it all. The Portlands and Clippers of the world go home in May. The champions come out to play.
Lebron will forever be haunted by the loss to Dallas. 3-2 is better than 2-3 by a long shot. Three in a row before losing the 4th would have been a far better script for the Miami Experience. The two losses to the Spurs were to a better team. And Lebron is the only man to beat the Spurs dynasty in the Finals.
Jordan will always be 6-0 and James can never be that. But he isn't done collecting rings.
Every year during the long NBA season we search for new stories to entertain us. The Hawks are this year's surprise and a fun story to follow. The Warriors and Clippers run up and down the court and play an entertaining brand of basketball that is worth the price of League Pass or the weekly ESPN games.
The West is filled with would be title contenders. Chicago (never mind). Atlanta and Toronto lead the way in the East.
I have been a Steph Curry fans since his college days. The pure shooter is one of most exciting players at any level. As this CHART shows. Westbrook and Durrant are worth the price of admission. Russell Westbrook took 38 shots! Here are all 38!
But last night reminded us that the NBA more than any other pro league is all about the Big Dog. And the Big Dog is still Lebron James. He is all of Curry, Westbrook, and Durant in the body of a linebacker or tight end. He makes any team or group better.
As Wesley Morris wrote here, Lebron still suffers from the natural athlete tag that follows Black athletes around. His mind has always been under rated by the haters and twitter bashers. The coaching job that James has done this year is one of the best seen the last 20 years.
He spent the first 40 games letting Irving and Love and the rest try to be the stars and hog the ball and not play defense. He even took two weeks off to remind them what life without him was like at Minnesota and last year in Cleveland.
Upon his return we have seen the Cleveland we thought we would see as they have won 18 of 20 and a refreshed Lebron is showing the other would be alpha dogs who is still the boss. Irving and Love look like winners.
Yes it is a good point made by Grantland contributor RoadDawg that we haven't seen them in the playoffs but we have seen Lebron. Cleveland wins the East rather easily. They now look like a legit threat to win it all. The Portlands and Clippers of the world go home in May. The champions come out to play.
Lebron will forever be haunted by the loss to Dallas. 3-2 is better than 2-3 by a long shot. Three in a row before losing the 4th would have been a far better script for the Miami Experience. The two losses to the Spurs were to a better team. And Lebron is the only man to beat the Spurs dynasty in the Finals.
Jordan will always be 6-0 and James can never be that. But he isn't done collecting rings.
Ya'll are crazy if you think the Atlanta fucking Hawks are going to beat LebrHGHon James in the playoffs. Get the fuck out of here with your team basketball bullshit.
Cavs are making the Finals. Period. Exclamation point. End of discussion.
RaceBannon
Member, Swaye's Wigwam Posts: 104,479 
Comments
This game is a perfect example of how vulnerable every team is to the Cavs come playoff time. When Lebron goes full Lebron and you're not knocking down your shots at an ungodly clip it's hard to compete. Also Kyrie Irving has figured it out and is devastating with the rock in hand.
Curry and Thompson having off nights ...
Great win for the Cavs ... but I'd still back the Warriors in a 7 game series.
If you look at the box score tonight, the Warriors got a combined 10 of 30 shooting from their 2 best players - which when that happens is difficult for any team to win. The Cavs shot 47% and got to the line 16 more times (making 19 more FTs - probably the difference in the game right there). But despite the Warriors really struggling tonight, they had 32 assists on 39 made shots from the field - that's an insane number. So when you look at how well the Cavs played tonight by all accounts, a deeper look would show that their margin wasn't that wide.
For me, that's the Cavs risk. That's the benefit that teams like the Hawks, Warriors, Spurs, etc. have when they play Cleveland in a series is that over 7 games, they'll be able to create enough easy shots that that should carry them in the end.
Ya'll are crazy if you think the Atlanta fucking Hawks are going to beat LebrHGHon James in the playoffs. Get the fuck out of here with your team basketball bullshit.
Cavs are making the Finals. Period. Exclamation point. End of discussion.
Every year during the long NBA season we search for new stories to entertain us. The Hawks are this year's surprise and a fun story to follow. The Warriors and Clippers run up and down the court and play an entertaining brand of basketball that is worth the price of League Pass or the weekly ESPN games.
The West is filled with would be title contenders. Chicago (never mind). Atlanta and Toronto lead the way in the East.
I have been a Steph Curry fans since his college days. The pure shooter is one of most exciting players at any level. As this CHART shows. Westbrook and Durrant are worth the price of admission. Russell Westbrook took 38 shots! Here are all 38!
But last night reminded us that the NBA more than any other pro league is all about the Big Dog. And the Big Dog is still Lebron James. He is all of Curry, Westbrook, and Durant in the body of a linebacker or tight end. He makes any team or group better.
As Wesley Morris wrote here, Lebron still suffers from the natural athlete tag that follows Black athletes around. His mind has always been under rated by the haters and twitter bashers. The coaching job that James has done this year is one of the best seen the last 20 years.
He spent the first 40 games letting Irving and Love and the rest try to be the stars and hog the ball and not play defense. He even took two weeks off to remind them what life without him was like at Minnesota and last year in Cleveland.
Upon his return we have seen the Cleveland we thought we would see as they have won 18 of 20 and a refreshed Lebron is showing the other would be alpha dogs who is still the boss. Irving and Love look like winners.
Yes it is a good point made by Grantland contributor RoadDawg that we haven't seen them in the playoffs but we have seen Lebron. Cleveland wins the East rather easily. They now look like a legit threat to win it all. The Portlands and Clippers of the world go home in May. The champions come out to play.
Lebron will forever be haunted by the loss to Dallas. 3-2 is better than 2-3 by a long shot. Three in a row before losing the 4th would have been a far better script for the Miami Experience. The two losses to the Spurs were to a better team. And Lebron is the only man to beat the Spurs dynasty in the Finals.
Jordan will always be 6-0 and James can never be that. But he isn't done collecting rings.